Thursday is more likely for severe storms along with an elevated tornado threat. A smaller round of storms comes in around 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Then the main line along the front rolls in between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. 

Within this time period, all weather hazards are on the table, with the increased tornado threat of tornadoes being EF-2 strength or greater. 

Here is your 7-day forecast:

Thursday: Severe storms. High: 92, Low: 62

Friday: Less humid. High: 83, Low: 63

Saturday: Scattered showers. High: 85, Low: 61

Sunday: Breezy. High: 76, Low: 55

Monday: Mostly cloudy. High: 74, Low: 58

Tuesday: Scattered showers. High: 74, Low: 59

Wednesday: Few showers. High: 78, Low: 61

Get more First Alert Weather from CBS News Chicago

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The image showed the person appearing to cross Michigan Avenue near Balbo Drive, with the Blackstone Hotel at 636 S. Michigan Ave., and the former Torco Building now used by Columbia College Chicago at 624 S. Michigan Ave.

Police said the cross was found burning on Columbus Drive north of Balbo Drive in Grant Park at 2:38 p.m. Tuesday. The flames were visible to anyone driving or walking down Columbus Drive, and the sight in the public park stirred emotions and shocked many.

"How did this happen? Like, I'm sure the people walking past saw someone walking down the street with a cross, sit up there, and light a fire to it. I'm surprised there wasn't more people watching this," said Keinika Carlton.

Carlton and her daughter, Alyna, were driving near Grant Park at the time. They didn't see who started the fire, but they say it stirred up many emotions.

"I know my grandmothers and great grandmothers and grandfathers have experienced in real time, life in the South. So immediately I just felt sad," Keinika said.

The incident has also gotten the attention of Gov. JB Pritzker, who wrote on social media, "Let me be clear that hate has no home here in Illinois."

Over at Operation Push, Yusef Jackson says while investigators look into the intent, this is a reminder of today's ongoing societal issues.

"The image of the burning cross is one that reaps terror, and it's beneath the dignity of our society to continue that ... but it also lets you know these adversaries and enemies who want to divide us and cause violence and harm to us never die," he said.

While burning a cross is not a crime of its own, it can be prosecuted as a federal hate crime and violation of civil rights if it's determined there was intent to threaten or intimidate someone's civil liberties. The FBI is now looking into what happened. 

In a statement, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, said seeing a cross burned in Grant Park "was shocking but sadly not surprising."

"Burning crosses, dramatic expressions of hatred designed to terrorize, were once sadly commonplace in our country. Yesterday, we were reminded that the sickness of spirit they symbolize exists not only in the pages of history but in our present day," Cupich said. "We condemn in the strongest terms this action and affirm that hate has no place in our country, our city and our hearts. We pledge to work with our city's faith and community leaders to redouble our efforts to share the Gospel message that we are all children of God, made in His image."

"If this was a SWASTIKA people would have immediately reacted but it's a burning cross which is symbol of supremacy and KKK that's it's symbol for decades," said Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of Saint Sabina Church in Auburn Gresham.

St. Sabina announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the cross burning. 

It is unclear if the incident was racial, as the act implies, or if it is connected with something else.

Anyone with information about the person spotted fleeing the scene is asked to call the Chicago police Arson Section at (312) 746-7618 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com and use reference RD # JK288147.

A Flood Watch is in effect for Eastern Will, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, La Salle, Livingston, southern Will in Illinois, and Benton, Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter in Indiana until 4 a.m. Thursday.

Wind gusts of 72.5 miles per hour were reported at Midway Airport shortly after 4 p.m. 

Storms leave damage, power outages in wake

The line of storms stretched across the entire Chicago area from north to south, moving in a destructive line and leaving damage in their wake.   

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation said it has received 2,800 tree emergency requests and is working to open up streets and clear debris. 

In Orland Park, police said they have multiple reports of downed power lines and trees. Police are asking people to stay away from  108th Ave. and 167th St., 135th St. and Wolf Road, 145th St. and Brentwood, and the 9200 block of 145th Street, because of downed power lines, and from 104th Ave. and 167th St. for a tree down in the roadway.

In Oak Lawn, it was reported that lightning struck a home. It was said that two trees in the backyard of the home fell and landed on the porch and damaged the home.

In Minooka and Evergreen Park, large downed trees were reported. In Plainfield, a downed tree was reportedly blocking Schlapp Road about half a mile south of IL-126. 

In Antioch, there were reports of siding ripped off of buildings and small tree limbs downed by the winds. 

CBS Skywatch was in Stickney, where strong winds tore parts of a roof off a building, leaving what appeared to be a large white tarp hanging from it with debris in the street, as cars tried to avoid it. 

Trees were also downed by Leo High School on the city's South Side.

In the Park Manor neighborhood, a winery had its roof blown off and lost power.

ComEd says they have more than 4,600 active power outages affecting more than 263,000 customers throughout the Chicago area.

CTA said they are working to restore service on the Midway-bound Orange Line as the weather has left trains standing in both directions. Meanwhile, Metra is advising riders to expect extensive delays system-wide due to debris and downed wires on multiple tracks.

More storms, with higher tornado risk, forecast on Thursday

Wednesday's storm chances continue until about midnight, but an even greater risk for severe weather and especially tornadoes follows on Thursday.

Again, two rounds of storms are expected. The first will be mainly in the northern part of the Chicago area between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Then, between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., another round of storms moves in, with tornadoes being the main threat.

Thursday will again be very hot, with highs in the upper 80s that, with the heat index, will feel like the mid-90s.

It was the seventh career RBI for Thompson, the 24-year-old rookie from nearby Longmont.

Thompson's single to right field with runners on first and third and no outs came after Ian Happ hit a 424-foot solo home run off Antonio Senzatela in the top of the ninth to tie it. It was Happ's team-leading 15th homer of the season.

TJ Rumfield hit his eighth homer of the season for Colorado, a two-run shot to right field for a 2-1 lead in the eighth. Rumfield had just one home run in his previous 22 games.

After blowing the save opportunity, Senzatela (6-0) picked up the win. Palencia (1-1) took the loss.

Chicago's Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled in the fourth inning and scored. The hit extended Crow-Armstrong's on-base streak to 14 games, a stretch during which he is batting .356.

The Cubs have lost 22 of their past 29 games after starting the season 27-12.

Starter Michael Lorenzen had his best outing of the season for Colorado, giving up just two hits, one earned run and a season-high seven strikeouts in five innings. In his previous four starts, the veteran right-hander had allowed 22 earned runs across 15 2/3 innings.

Shota Imanaga threw five scoreless innings for the Cubs, allowing only two hits and striking out seven.

Up next

Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (3-3, 4.99 ERA) was set to face RHP Ryan Feltner (2-1, 4.22) on Thursday in the series finale.

The White Sox have won seven straight at home and nine of 13 overall, including two straight against the major league-best Braves. Chicago moved one-half game ahead of Cleveland, which lost to the New York Yankees earlier Wednesday. This is the latest in the season the White Sox have led their division since 2021.

Martin (9-2) recorded his third outing of at least six innings without allowing a run this season. He gave up six hits, struck out six and walked one as he matched Aaron Ashby and Gavin Williams for the major league lead in victories.

White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery, who doubled and hit a game-ending homer in his big league debut Tuesday, had two more doubles Wednesday.

Chris Sale (8-5) allowed two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings for the Braves.

The White Sox went ahead in the fourth when Derek Hill singled in Montgomery, then scored on a grounder by Luisangel Acuña.

The Braves got on the board in the seventh against reliever Sean Newcomb when Miguel Vargas couldn't handle a grounder to third from Ozzie Albies, allowing Jorge Mateo to score from first base. Bryan Hudson pitched the ninth for his third save.

Chicago's Chase Meidroth extended his on-base streak to 21 games and his hitting streak to 11 games with an infield single in the third.

Martin stranded seven baserunners, pitching out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the second by striking out Mateo and getting Austin Wynns to line out.

Up next

Braves LHP Martín Pérez (4-3, 3.02 ERA) starts the final game of the series Thursday against White Sox LHP Anthony Kay (5-1, 4.40).

Michael McIntosh says he was driving a van with six kids from Riveredge Hospital. He pulled up on Henderson Street to drop off 11-year-old Ethan Duran when a giant tree crashed down on the van with the kids inside.

McIntosh says the roof caved in.

"It just bounced on my head and came back up, and I look back, and I just see the kids, and I am like, 'let's get the kids out of here,'" he said.

"Good thing the car did not smoosh or else Mr. Michael would be squished," Ethan said.

"It was a loud boom, just boom," said his mom, Soledad Galban.

Galban says her family grabbed all the kids, brought them inside their house, and called their parents.

"I started crying because I got so scared and my legs started shaking," Ethan said.

"It's crazy out here on Michigan Avenue. You got downed trees everywhere," a city worker said.

In the Loop, severe weather knocked down branches near Grant Park. Crews were working to clear the debris shortly after. In Park Manor, the roof at a winery was blown off.

"They trusted me, they trusted my word when I told them to get out and everything," McIntosh said.

He says parents came to pick up all the kids, but they did call 911.

"No ambulance showed up. The news showed up before the ambulance and the police," he said.

Neighbors came together to remove some of the branches. A few cars and a lamppost were also damaged, but everyone is glad the tree did not break through the windshield or collapse on the van any more than it did.

"I'm just happy to be alive, I'm just happy to be alive," McIntosh said.

No injuries were reported, and the tree along with the van has since been removed.

Forestry crews with the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation are clearing trees across the city. They say if you have a downed tree, first be cautious and report it to 311. The city reminds everyone to be patient as they work through requests.

Hundreds of people gathered inside for the annual convention. The first convention hosted by the coalition since the passing of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.

Inside Rainbow Push headquarters, hands waved during a performance by musical artist Zion Ali.

Kids from different organizations were also tuned in as they listened to a panel discussion from different content creators.

"When those panelists was up there talking, that's really the essence they were presenting on behalf of themselves. Just encouraging us not to be ashamed of who we are," said TJ Donald.

Jarrel David is headed to Morehouse College this fall. He hosted Wednesday's program.

"To be somewhere where there's a leader and founder who said, 'You're somebody, even if you're poor.' You're somebody even if you come from that single-family household. To be here is to show me that there is still greater coming," he said.

Attendees gathered inside the building to focus on this year's theme, which is "Fulfilling the American Promise."

"You think about our 250 journey on the edge of the birthday of the country. We want to gather soberly just before the birthday to talk about some of the promises made and some of the promises unkept," said Yusef Jackson.

It's a bittersweet moment because this is the first convention since the passing of civil rights icon and Rainbow PUSH founder Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.

"My father taught us to go forward by hope, not to be paralyzed and go backwards in fear, and so we keep the work going," Yusef said.

Rainbow PUSH's annual convention is in support of Youth Day. It's four days of dialogue, reflection, and action.

"We have a basketball tournament coming this afternoon. all the fun things. at the same time, we're going to teach them civic engagement. Why and how they came to be here," Yusef said.

"To see so much youth come out and support is amazing. To make sure that they're being educated on what's going on in our community as well as the rest of the world. Making sure that they have access to voting and things like that are very important," said Marriel McCaskill with KLEO Community Family Life Center.

The convention continues for the next three days, where they'll hear from keynote speakers, including the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Police said around 5:45 p.m. on Monday, troopers responded to the area of Interstate 80 and Burr Street for reports that a person had been shot while inside their vehicle.

The victim was found at the Hard Rock Casino off Burr Street, where they had driven to get help.

Police said the shooting happened at a traffic light at the top of the Burr Street exit ramp and not at the casino. The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment, where his condition was stabilized.

The suspect, a 25-year-old man from Hammond, was placed into custody on Wednesday after Indiana State Police conducted a traffic stop on the suspected vehicle involved in the shooting. Police said he was remanded to the Lake County Jail.

Police said charges will be forwarded for review by the Lake County Prosecutor's Office. They say additional information will be released once charges have been approved. 

The Consumer Price Index rose at an annual rate of 4.2%, up from 3.8% in the prior month and marking the highest level since April 2023.

By the numbers

Economists polled by financial data firm FactSet predicted inflation in May would rise at an annual rate of 4.2%. 

The CPI, a basket of goods and services typically bought by consumers, tracks changes in prices over time.

Inflation has accelerated from an annual rate of 2.4% in January to a three-year high, driven largely by the energy shock stemming from the Iran war. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global supply chains, driving up prices on everything from gasoline to airfares.

In its May report, the Labor Department said energy prices accounted for more than 60% of the monthly CPI increase. Gasoline prices jumped 40.5% from a year earlier.

To be sure, fuel prices have eased slightly in June, as the CBS News gas and oil price tracker shows. However, that decline is not captured in the May data.

Food at home, which captures grocery costs, rose 2.7% from a year earlier. Tomato prices surged 32%, while lettuce jumped almost 25%. Coffee prices, which have been a sore spot for American consumers and coffee chains, rose 17.5% from a year earlier. 

Core inflation, which excludes the more volatile food and energy categories, rose at an annual rate of 2.9%, up slightly from 2.8% in April.

What the experts say

Household budgets are under pressure due to rising inflation, which is outpacing wage growth, said Elizabeth Renter, senior economist at NerdWallet, in a Wednesday email. Three-quarters of Americans said their incomes aren't keeping up with inflation, according to a recent CBS News poll.

"Consumers are paying more for essentials, and they can feel powerless to mitigate this pain," Renter said.

Still, the inflation report wasn't entirely bleak. Outside of categories directly affected by the Iran war, there are signs that some prices are easing, suggesting inflationary pressures aren't yet spreading across the economy, experts say.

For instance, prices for some goods fell for the first time in 14 months, with new vehicles, household furniture and prescription drugs among the categories posting declines last month, said EY-Parthenon chief economist Gregory Daco in an email. 

Those price dips could be "a sign that the bulk of tariff-related passthrough appears to be behind us," Daco wrote. 

Core inflation ticked up just slightly, indicating that higher energy prices aren't spilling into other categories for now, aside from airfare, according to Daco.

May could represent a 2026 peak for the inflation rate, which could ease later this year, Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, said in a research note.

"With gas prices down sharply so far in June, May could mark the peak for headline CPI, although inflation will be slow to decline," she said, adding that core inflation has also likely peaked but could remain elevated.

What does this mean for Fed rate cuts?

The inflation surge has upended expectations for the Federal Reserve's interest-rate path. In January, economists had largely focused on when the Fed might next cut rates.

But now, the surge in prices — as well as a stronger labor market —  has some analysts predicting that the central bank's next move could instead be a rate hike.

For now, Fed officials are expected to leave borrowing costs unchanged at their next policy meeting, set for June 17, as they assess whether the inflationary spike will prove persistent. CME Group's FedWatch tool, a measure of financial market sentiment, shows a 96% likelihood that the central bank will hold its benchmark rate steady next week.

"The Fed will be in no position to cut rates if this continues," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer for Northlight Asset Management, in an email. "More importantly — and the market has started to react to this possibility — the Fed's next move may need to be a hike, and not a cut as many had expected coming into this year."

The CTA said Pink Line service has been suspended between Polk and the Loop due to signal outages near the Ashland station.

As a result, Pink Line trains are operating only between the 54th/Cermak terminal and the Polk stop, and are then being diverted to the Racine station on the Blue Line.

Pink Line riders trying to get from stops on the West Side to downtown should take Pink Line trains to the Racine stop on the Blue Line, and then board an O'Hare-bound train to get to Blue Line stops downtown. Riders trying to get from downtown to West Side stops on the Pink Line should board Forest Park-bound Blue Line trains in the Loop for service to Racine, where they can board Pink Line trains bound for the 54th/Cermak terminal.

Green Line trains also are running with residual delays following signal problems near the Ashland station on the West Side. CTA officials said riders could see busier trains and platforms than normal on the Green Line as normal service resumes.

Meantime, the CTA said Orange Line trains were temporarily halted in both directions due to the weather, but running again with residual delays as of 5:30 p.m.

CTA officials urged Orange Line riders to consider other alternatives, such as nearby bus routes while crews work to restore normal service.

Metra also is reporting delays on most of its commuter lines due to high wind warnings. 

Lilly Bova, a sophomore at Glenbrook South High School, was found shot inside her apartment on March 28 in the 3600 block of South Salem Walk in unincorporated Glenview.

First responders performed CPR and took her to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where she was pronounced dead.

An autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office determined she died of a gunshot wound to the head, but the manner of her death remains undetermined.

On Wednesday, the Cook County State's Attorney's office said they have informed the family that they do not have enough evidence to file criminal charges in Bova's death.

"The death of a young person is a profound tragedy, and we recognize the impact this loss has had on Lilly Bova's family, friends and the community," a state's attorney's spokesperson said in a statement. "Based on the evidence obtained by law enforcement during their investigation, we cannot meet our burden of proof, and at this time, we cannot bring criminal charges. This is a challenging case, with many questions remaining about how this horrific incident unfolded."

Bova's mother, Christine Maga, said she feels investigators are giving up on her daughter.

"I feel like everybody just erased March 28th off the calendar, and that it never happened, but we still have to live with it," Maga said. "To tell someone that this is undetermined or unknown, that's like sending you into insanity."

Bova's family has said Cook County Sheriff's police questioned a person of interest after the shooting, but when asked in April why there had not yet been any arrests, the sheriff's office said prosecutors did not believe there was enough evidence to file charges.

Sheriff's police have asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact detectives at 708-865-4896.

New safety Coby Bryant is making a good first impression in his first mini-camp, and the feeling is mutual for Bryant when it comes to his new and intense head coach, Ben Johnson.

"I love it, honestly. I love it. He's filled with fire, honestly," he said. "We have a lot of similarities, and that's why I'm here as well. He's a true competitor."

Asked if he's as intense as Johnson, Bryant said, "absolutely."

"I'm a true competitor. I don't care if it's somebody walking down the street. I want to walk faster than somebody else, so I don't care what it is," he said.

Offensive lineman Braxton Jones is competing for the starting left tackle job, and after dealing with a severe ankle injury in 2024 and a knee injury last season, he's feeling healthy and confident.

"A big piece of it is simply feeling right from the lower half, and from injuries," he said. "Even last year, I was still in a good place, but I just didn't trust it. I didn't trust the positions I was putting myself in, and if you don't trust it, you're never going to put a good outcome out there. And everything's good, everything's strong, and that's really what it is, and continue to put myself in those great positions and trusting myself in those great positions."

Jones didn't want to say he feels like the left tackle job is his to lose, but he has been getting most of the first team reps, and said he will be competing hard to win it.

A reporter asked the president in the Oval Office Wednesday if he's concerned that the Consumer Price Index rose at an annual rate of 4.2%, up from 3.8% in the prior month and marking the highest level since April 2023. The new inflation numbers were released earlier Wednesday. 

"No, I love it," the president said. "The numbers were great. You know what I really love? I love the inflation. You know why? Because as soon as this war is over. You know, I can say it now, something you didn't know. Did you know we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran, until right now. We took out the other night, 22 ships. Late at night, with no lights. Because they don't have any radar because we blasted the crap out of it. We took out. That's why oil's $85 a barrel."

While the cost has come down in recent weeks, the cost of Brent crude — the international standard — was about $94 per barrel at midday Wednesday. The president said he expected oil prices to be even higher than they are now, and noted that the stock market has reached all-time highs. 

On Truth Social Wednesday afternoon, the president said he directed the military to "execute a secret mission" to support oil tankers and other commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. 

"Today, I am pleased to announce that this effort has resulted in more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil making its way through the Straight, and into the Open Market," he said. "More than 200 Commercial Ships have safely traveled through the Strait. This wildly successful effort is because the UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz — NOT Iran. Their military is defeated, and their economy is lost. It's over for Iran!"

The president said oil prices still aren't as high as he anticipated ahead of the war, and the U.S. stock market is hitting "all-time historical highs." The president said Venezuela was a "great success," and the U.S. is extracting millions from both Venezuela and Iran. 

"I think they're going to want to make a deal, but we're going to find out," the president said of Iran. 

A reporter asked the president if he expects inflation to fall once the war is over. 

"When the war is over? It's coming down. It's going to come down like a rock," he said. "And again, we're taking out millions, which, I'm just announcing today for the first time, but we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil. Millions. Every night." 

Despite the president's recent comments that the price of gas will come down to pre-war prices, if not lower, federal government predictions disagree with him. The U.S. Energy Information Administration, which in January predicted retail gas in 2027 would be $2.95 on average per gallon, now predicts gas will average $3.64 in 2027. Gas was easily under $3 a gallon on average in January. 

Mr. Trump is underwater in polls on the economy, despite the economy and cost of living once being his strongpoints in polling. Higher inflation is also coming in a midterm election year when Republicans are battling to keep control of the House and Senate.

Democrats seized on the president's inflation comments. 

"Trump really said, 'I love the inflation.' On camera. For all of America to hear," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X. "His contempt for you knows no bounds."

"Trump just admitted he 'love[s] the inflation,'" House Minority Whip Katherine Clark wrote. "He loves making your costs skyrocket. He loves being $4 billion richer at your expense."

House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the president's comments Wednesday, telling reporters Mr. Trump was taken out of context and was actually referring to future economic improvements. The Louisiana Republican said "it's going to be great to have that [inflation] number and compare it to what comes next when we get these situations resolved."

Social Security guarantees income to over 70 million Americans. Across-the-board benefit cuts would significantly impact retirees, disabled workers and survivors, especially amid rising living costs.

Social Security keeps more Americans out of poverty than any other program in the U.S., according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank.

In last year's report, the program's trustees projected that the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance fund, which pays benefits to retirees and survivors of deceased workers, would be depleted in 2033. In August, the agency moved the insolvency date to the end of 2032, citing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's effect on taxation of benefits. 

Other issues are also weighing on Social Security's finances, including demographic factors. The report lowered the country's projected fertility rate to 1.75 births per woman, down from 1.9 in last year's forecast, which signals there may be fewer workers in the coming decades to support the program. 

Declining immigration is also expected to weaken Social Security's finances because fewer workers will be paying into the program, the report said.

On Tuesday, the Social Security Administration said the agency would pay 78% of benefits upon insolvency.

Social Security has long faced funding pressures, though the projected trust fund depletion date shifts from year to year as economic and demographic factors change. The core challenge is an aging U.S. population: More Americans are collecting benefits, while fewer workers support the program through payroll taxes, forcing Social Security to draw down its trust funds.

Retirement experts said the new report underscores the urgency of shoring up the program.

"If we cut Social Security, nobody will be able to retire," Nancy Altman, president of Social Security Works, an advocacy group for the program, told CBS News. "It'll go back to the years before Social Security, when people moved in with their adult children."

Congressional action

Altman also expressed optimism that Congress will take steps to shore up the program before that occurs because of the widespread financial distress that would befall millions of seniors and disabled Americans if their monthly checks were cut. 

At the same time, time is running out to make changes that could strengthen the program, experts said.

"This should be a wake-up call: Congress needs to act. Americans have worked hard and paid into Social Security their entire lives, and they deserve to count on it when they retire," AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan said in a statement. "No family should see any cuts to what they've earned in Social Security."

A common misconception is that insolvency would mean Social Security could no longer pay benefits. Instead, beneficiaries would continue receiving monthly checks, though reduced — an outcome advocates for older Americans warn could create financial hardship for millions of the program's beneficiaries.

Asked during a Wednesday House subcommittee hearing about possible benefit cuts in 2032, Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano said that it's up to Congress to solve the issue. 

"My job was to make it perform as well as possible so you all have a set of options" to fix the program, he said.

Projected cuts

Social Security's beneficiaries could see their monthly benefit checks slashed by an average of about $500 if the program's retirement trust fund becomes insolvent, according to a report published earlier this month by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal policy think tank.

The reduction would amount to a 24% cut in the typical benefit payment, the analysis found.

Advocacy groups, including AARP, have long urged Congress to strengthen Social Security's finances. Proposals generally involve either raising additional revenue, reducing future benefits or some combination of the two. Some Republicans have proposed raising the full retirement age above 67, while many Democrats favor increasing payroll tax revenue.

For instance, some advocates have pushed to eliminate the income cap on the payroll tax. Currently, workers who earn over $184,500 don't pay Social Security taxes on any amount above that. 

"The Social Security trust fund is under strain because Congress has failed to update the program for the economy we actually have," Elizabeth Wilkins, CEO of the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank. "Too much income now flows to the top, where it escapes Social Security taxation."

Republican lawmakers favor cuts to shore up the program, such as raising the retirement age or introducing means testing, or eliminating Social Security benefits for people who earn above a certain amount, according to Max Richtman, the CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. 

For instance, eliminating Social Security benefits for the top 40% of U.S. households, which includes many middle-class families, would solve the program's financing issues, according to the Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan think tank. That threshold would begin with families in $59,200 in household income, the group said.

"It would be grossly unfair to ask beneficiaries on fixed incomes to bear the cost of strengthening Social Security," Richtman said, adding that his group prefers raising taxes on high-income earners to strengthen the program's finances.

Medicare insolvency date

Medicare's hospital insurance trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits in the second quarter of 2033, or a quarter earlier than the agency had projected last year, according to a statement from the trustees. The trust fund helps fund Medicare Part A, which covers costs such as inpatient hospital stays and skilled nursing facility care.

If the Medicare fund becomes insolvent, it would be able to pay only 89% of the program's benefits, the trustees said.

About 70.1 million people are enrolled in Medicare, the federal health insurance program that covers people 65 and older, as well as those with severe disabilities or illnesses.

Last year, the "go broke" date for Medicare's hospital insurance trust fund was pushed up to 2033 from 2036, according to the trustees' report.

"In seven years, Medicare faces an automatic cut to providers that could lead to disruptions in care or higher costs for patients," Michael A. Peterson, CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a fiscal think tank, said in a statement.

The recall affects the following models and years, which were sold in 23 states and the District of Columbia, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• Honda Pilot, 2016-2022 model years
• Ridgeline, 2017-2023
• Passport, 2019-2023 
• Acura MDX, 2014-2020
  

The states include: 

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• Vermont
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

Honda is issuing the recall because the rear subframe on the vehicles could corrode, potentially leading to suspension component failure. That can cause drivers to lose handling or control of the vehicle, NHTSA said in its notice. According to Honda's estimate, only 1% of the vehicles contain the defect.

Letters notifying owners are expected to go out on July 7, 2026. Dealers will repair or replace the rear subframe components free of charge. 

The NHTSA recall number is 26V365000.

FIFA said Tuesday that $60 tickets will be made available for every game at the tournament in North America, going to the national federations whose teams are playing. Those federations decide how to distribute them to loyal fans who have attended previous games at home and on the road.

The number of $60 tickets for each game is likely to be in the hundreds, rather than thousands, in what FIFA is now calling a "Supporter Entry Tier" price category.

FIFA did not specify exactly why it so dramatically changed strategy, but said the lower prices are "designed to further support travelling fans following their national teams across the tournament."

The World Cup in North America will be the first edition that features 48 teams — up from 32 — and is expected to earn FIFA at least $10 billion in revenue. Teams will play in 16 cities across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. 

But fans worldwide reacted with shock and anger last week on seeing FIFA's ticketing plans that gave participating teams no tickets in the lowest-priced category.

The cheapest prices ranged from $120 to $265 for group-stage games that did not involve the three co-hosting countries. 

FIFA had set those prices despite the co-hosts having pledged eight years ago — when they were bidding for the tournament — that hundreds of thousands of $21 tickets would be made available.

Criticism from fans, especially in Europe, had been increasing for several months over plans for "dynamic pricing" plus extra fees on a FIFA-run resale platform — both features which are common in the U.S. entertainment industry but not to soccer fans worldwide.

Fan anger intensified last week when it became clear loyal supporters would have no access to the cheapest category tickets and that fans who wanted to reserve a ticket for all of their team's potential games — through the final — would not get refunded until after the tournament.

In another climbdown Tuesday, FIFA said it would waive its administrative fees when refunds are made after the July 19 final.

The 12 four-team groups that make up the World Cup draw were selected earlier in December. The United States will play in Group D, along with Paraguay, Australia and the winner of UEFA playoff C. The teams there are Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo. The playoff games will be decided in March 2026.

The World Cup games will begin on June 11, with a game between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City and South Korea playing the winner of UEFA playoff D in Guadalajara. The World Cup final will be held in New Jersey on July 19.